NEW DELHI: The ‘Babri Masjid Movement coordination committee’ (BMMCC), welcomed “with a deep sense of satisfaction” the decision taken by the national integration council at Madras on Saturday, regarding the controversial Ram Janam Bhoomi Babri Masjid tangle.

In a statement issued here, the BMMCGE convener, Syed Shahabuddin, said it was heartening to note that the NIC decided that the judicial proceedings be expedited and the judicial decision be respected by all and that the religious leaders should enter into a dialogue to reach an amicable settlement.

Shahabuddin also hailed the NIC’s decision that in the meantime, no attempt should be made to aggravate communal tension.

The BMMCC offered its “total Cooperation” to the quest for an amicable solution, which should uphold truth and justice, promote national interest, respect the aspiration and safeguard the dignity of both the communities.

The disputed structure at the holy Hindu city of Ayodhya in Northern Uttar Pradesh has created fierce communal controversy between the Hindus and Muslims as the two communities look at it as a temple and Mosque, respectively.

A section of Hindus claim that the site of ‘temple Mosque structure’ at Ayodhya is the birth place of Rama and they have vowed to build a fresh Rama temple at the same place. Muslims, however, dispute Hindus and say that the Structure is a Mosque built by the 15th century Muslim King Babar and hence named as Babri Masjid.

The Bharatiya Janata Party accused the National Front govt. of fooling the nation by declaring that it will stand by a court verdict ‘on the Masjid issue,

“No court can give a clear verdict on the issue and even if a verdict was forthcoming no govt. can implement it,” the BJP leader, AB Vajpayee, declared at a function to bid farewell to the party president LK Advani on the eve of his journey from Somnath to Ayodhya on Sept 25.

Vajpayee alleged that the government’s reiteration that it would stand by the verdict was nothing but a “vote catching gimmick”,

Advani said the BJP respected the judiciary, But it believed that on the Ram Janam Bhoomi issue no court could give clear verdict.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 5, 1990